Spotting gun



g- 5, 1952 E. L. HUTCHINS ETAL 2,606,069-

SPOTTING GUN Filed Oct. 28, 1947 INVENTORS sow/1v 1.. HUTOH/NS a .14 0K 0. BUTLER Patented Aug. 5, 1952 sro'r'rmo GUN Edwin L. Hutchins, San Diego, and-Jack 0. Butler, Chula Vista, Calif.;, said Butler assignor to said Hutchins Application October 28, 1947, Serial No. 782,614

Our invention relates tov a spotting gun, more particularly for use in connection with the cleaning of clothes or fabrics and the objects of our invention are:

First, to provide a spotting gun of this class which incorporates a multiple valvecontrolling a variety of cleaning fluids and solvents to be 3 Claims. (Cl. 29986) dispensed in combination with steam if desired for removing spots from clothing or ffabric con-" sisting of various chemical compositions.

Second, to provide a spotting gun of this class having very simple valve means employing a plurality of plungers each of which may be operated selectively for dispensing a certain fluid for a certain cleaning purpose. I

Third, to provide a spotting gun of this class having a, multiple plunger valve on the handle of the spotting gun controlled by one of the fingers of the hand holding the spotting gun whereby eiiiciency and speed of the operation is maintained together with the precise direc tion of the fluid from the valve through a dispensing tube to the fabric being cleaned. 1

Fourth, to provide a spotting gun of this class having immediate facilities for dispensing such cleaning fluids as carbon tetrachloride, neutral lubricant, paint remover,- ink remover, ammonia, acetic solution and other well known cleaning fluids.

Fifth, to provide a spotting gun of this class which incorporates a steam nozzle adjacent to which is a valve outlet tube arranged to dispense a variety of fluids aspirated therefrom by the steam passing from the steam nozzle.

Sixth, to provide a spotting gun of this class having a multiple plunger valve and tubes connected therewith communicating with a plurality of individual containers holding a variety of cleaning fluids.

Seventh, to provide at spotting gun of this class in which a plurality of fluids may be conducted to the spotting gun through as many separate tubes communicating with a multiple plunger valve which is conveniently located on the handle of the spotting gun whereby extreme efliciency of spotting is' accomplished and the fluids'are properly directed in an economical manner.

Eighth, to provide a spotting gun of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, efi'icient in operation and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, our invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon forming a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of our spotting gun; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top or plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken from the line 33 of Fig. l and Fig 4 is a diagrammatic view of our spotting gun showing the tubular conductors communicating therewith and the receptacles from which said conductors are fed. f

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of thedrawing,

The handle I ,'steam nozzle 2, valve casing 3, valve plungers 4, 5,6and2'Ltubes I, 8, 9 and I0, plates II, I2, I3 and I4,"plugs I5, I6, I! and I8, insulator I9 and valve outlet tube 20 constitute the principal parts and portions of our spotting gun.

The handle I is a cylindrical handle having insulating plates Ia and lb at therear and front ends thereof respectively through which the steam nozzle 2 extends concentrically thereof. Surrounding this steam nozzle 2 inwardly of the handle I is an insulator I9 arranged to prevent the exchange of heat from the steam nozzle 2 to the'handle I normally grasped by the hand of the operator of our spotting gun. Secured to the side 'of the handle I is the valve casing 3 which is disposed rearwardly of the forwardly and laterally curved portion 2b of the steam nozzle 2. This steam nozzleZ is provided with a substantially flattened open end portion 20 through. which steam is projected. Adjacent to this curved portion 2b on the steam nozzle 2 is a curved portion 20a of thevalve outlet tube 20 which is provided with an open end 2% adjacent to the open end 20 of the steam nozzle 2. The rearward end of this valve outlet tube 20 communicates with the interior of the valve casing 3 at its longitudinal bore portion 3a connecting the bore portions 31) of the valve plungers 4, 5, 6 and 2| in series. These valve plungers 4,5, 6 and M control the flow of fluid from" the tubes I, 8, 9 and I0 respectively. Secured to the upper side of the valve casing 3 and surrounding the valv plungers 4, 5,. 5 and 2| are the plates II, I2,I3 and I4 respectively. Inasmuch as the valves 4, 5, 6 and 2| are substantially identical, the ,valve plunger 4 will be herein described in detail. Inwardly of the plate II and surrounding the stem 4a of the valve plunger closed position as shown in Fig. 3 of the draw ing. The spring 4f intermediate the plug i5 and the head 40 of the valve plunger 4 tends to hold the valve 4 in closed .tpositionw ltwill be the enlarged bore portions of the valve casing 3 at the lower ends of the ,valve plungers 4, ,5,

6 and 2| respectively. Communicating with the valves 4, 5, 8 and 2| and the tubes 1, 8, 9' and; In communicating therewith are the receptaclees 22, 23, 24 and in which various solvents and cleaning fluids may be positioned: such as carbon tetrachloride, neutral lubricant, paint removen ink remover, ammonia, acetic solution and other similar cleaning fluids. It will be noted that, the tubes 1, 8, 9 and extend to a position nearthe bottom' of the containers 22, 23, 24 and 25 whereby siphoning of the-fluid therefrom is accomplished when the respective valves, in connection-with the tubes 1, 8, 9 and I0 areopened.causingthe-steamtube 20 to aspirate the fluid through the tube 23 at its, open end 20b.

The operation of our spotting; gun is substantially as follows: a a a 7 When the operator of the spotting gun detects a certain spoton clothin -requiring acertain solvent or cleanen he presses one of the; valve plungers 4, 5, 6 or2ll according to the particular fluid llQWiShGS to dispense, from the valve outlet tube 20a atits open end 2% adjacent the open end 20 of the steam nozzle 2. Whenthe-opera tor presses the particular valve. plunger, fluid is drawn from oneof thetubes 7 8, 9 or ,l ll communicating with the bottom v of one of the con tainers 22, 23, -24 or 25 each holding-a separate and distinct cleaning fluid. The fluid is siphoned: fromone of the containers through the valve casing'and dispensed-in a precise manner at the openendZOb-of the valve outlet tube 20 It will be noted that thej bore 3min thevalvecasing 3 communicates in .series with-the borelilb; in which i. the valve plungers 4-, v5, Sand 21 are reciprocallymounted permittingfluid to be dispensed from any one of the valveplungersthrough said common series tube 3a to, the valve outlet tube 20.

The gaskets fib-andfid prevent escape of fluid around the valv e plunger Act-when in closed or open position and the ,aspirating' effect of the steam passing outwardly of the: steam nozzle 2 at. itsopen end;2c aspiratesthe fluid from the valve outlet tube 20. at its open end 202). Thus,

it is unnecesssary to-provide pressurecontainers for the, fluid in the containers 22, 23,: 24- and 25 but such pressurized fluid supply may b maintained if desired. The disposition of the valve casing Son the handle I, of; tliespottinggun provides for the convenient handling of clothing with one hand and while performing the complete operation of steam spotting in combination. with fluid spotting which may be precisely accom-- plished. by the open end portions 20 and 23b of,

the steam nozzle-2 and valve outlet tub spectively.

V Thus, efliciency of; operation of spotting of clothing; is greatly improved, over "for the quick return and positive closing of each of the valves after being depressed by the thumb pieces on the upper ends of said valves as shown bestin Figs 1. and2 of the drawing. Thus, the 'dispensationotsolvents or cleaning fluids through the valve. casing. 3: is accomplished only during the time thatthe valves are consciously depressed bythe operator.

Though We have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts, and portions wedo not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement but, desire to include in the scope of our invention, the construction, com-l bination and arrangement substantially asset forth in the appended claims.

, Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

.; said handle, whereby! digitsof the hand of the operator may operate anyone of said valves without changing thepositidn of thehand-on the handle, a valveoutlettube communicating with the interior of 'said valvecasing .and each of said valve-plungersand having its open endadjacent theopen endoflsaidsteam nozzle, e'ach of said valve plungers reciprocally mounted in said valvecasing, said. valve casing provided with: a bore portion havingan enlarged andreduced portion,

said valve-lplungersibeingmeunted in; the reduced portion havingtheir head-portions in the enlargedbore-iportion and-.gaskets near opposite ends of each of said valve plungers in said bore portions for sealing flow of fluid around said valve plungers.-

2. In a spotting gun-for the classdescrihed, the combination of a handle, a steam nozzle extend-i in therefrom, a valve casinghaving-a plurality of reciprocatingvalve plungers therein, all dis-, posed at one side of the cross-sectional middle of said-handle, whereby digits; of thehand of the operator may operate any one of saidvalves without changing the position of the hand on the handle, a valve outlet tube communicating; with,

the interior of said valve casing and eachof said valve plungers a-nd having its openend adjacent the open end of said' steam nozzle, each. of said valve plungers reciprocally mountedin said valve casing, said valv casing provided with a bore portion having an enlarged and reduced portion, said valve-plungers beingmounted in the reduced portion having their head portions in the enlarged bore portion-and gaskets near opposite ends of each of said valve plungers'in said bore portions for sealing flow of fluid around said valve plungerssaid valve casing provided with a common outlet-borecommunicating with each of said valve plungers.

3. In a spotting g-unof 'the class, described, the combinat-ion of a handlaa steam nozzle extending therefrom, a valve casing having a plurality of reciprocating valve plungers therein all disposed at one side of the cross-sectional middle of said handle, whereby digits of the hand of the operator may operate any one of said valves without changing the position of the hand on the handle, a valve outlet tube communicating with the interior of said valve casing and each of said valve plungers and having its open end adjacent the open end of said steam nozzle, each of said valve plungers reciprocally mounted in said valve casing, said valve casing provided with a bore portion having an enlarged and reduced portion, said valve plungers being mounted in the reduced portion having their head portions in the enlarged bore portion and gaskets near opposite ends of each of said valve plungers in said bore portions for sealing flow of fluid around said valve plungers, said valve casing provided with a common outlet bore communicating with each of said valve plungers, a plug screw threaded in each of said bore portions and a spring engaging said plug and the head of the respective valve plunger adjacent thereto.

' EDWIN L. HUTCHINS. JACK O. BUTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

